In a world where gender equality and diversity are urgent, ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! (We Want to Paint!) represents a horizon of creativity, empowerment, and ethical reflections on sisterhood in artistic practice. The initiative is not limited to artistic expression but also challenges the patriarchal structures rooted in art history.

¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! is a self-managed, porous, and evolving initiative, an artistic and experimental space to collectivize and celebrate contemporary painting. We develop projects and activations in flexible formats that challenge traditional perspectives on painting, fostering interconnected dialogues that celebrate the diversity and artistic expressions of Central American women who incorporate painting into their work.

This collaborative project not only encompasses contemporary painting but also reflects on and creates methodologies with a feminist approach to artistic practice, seeking common ground to address the challenges of artistic self-management.

For ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! (We Want to Paint!), the practice of painting is a process of experimentation, research, and resistance within the context of contemporary art. We start from the conviction that current painting reflects what is happening and represents the presence of its creators and, therefore, their time.

The objectives of ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! are:

- To promote collaboration among contemporary artists, breaking down geographical barriers and amplifying our voices. We foster a network of women painters who recognize and celebrate each other.

- To explore and develop feminist methodologies in our artistic practices, challenging patriarchal norms and creating new paths for expression.

- To weave dialogues through art and experiences that transcend borders, inspiring other women artists to believe in the importance of their work and to take control of their history in the art world.

ACTIVATIONS:

¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! In its first edition in 2022, the project included: a directory of artists actively practicing painting, generated from a publicly shared digital form to collect data, and an exhibition featuring paintings by 18 women (cis and trans) artists residing in Costa Rica. The exhibition was held as part of the 35th anniversary of the San Ramón Regional Museum in Alajuela. Parallel activities stemmed from the exhibition as part of the Feminist Artistic Practices Circuit, which was celebrated within the framework of the 30th anniversary of the Spanish Cultural Center in Costa Rica.

The exhibition aimed to embrace the mobilizing force of desire and the power to deterritorialize traditional paths of knowledge. ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! (WE WANT TO PAINT!) is based on the premise that, as creators, women artists are desiring beings and not merely objects of desire for the traditional male gaze that has legitimized the history of art throughout the centuries. The 2022 exhibition emerged from a living network, inviting more women to embrace their desire to paint. ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR! arose in a cultural landscape in crisis, where the urgent need for more opportunities for women artists remains, particularly for those from territories outside the cultural circuits of the Greater Metropolitan Area.

Karla Herencia. Founder and driving force behind ¡QUEREMOS PINTAR!

2022-2023:

Co-managed in 2022 by: Anna Matteucci, Daniela Martén, and Karla Herencia.

Exhibiting artists: Abril Coghi, Aire Calderón, Alina González, Aimée Joaristi, Anna Matteucci, Allegra Pacheco, Carolina Guillermet, Cristina Powell Aird, Daniela Martén, Karla Herencia, Kate Fernández, Man Yu, Marcia Madrigal Guardia, Melissa Ríos, Natalia Porras, Pía Chavarría, Rebeca Martínez Monge, Ruth Bonilla.